Software

News & Opinion

Intel Compares Core i5 and Core Duo at CES

9 to 5 Mac's Seth Weintraub reports:

"The likely successor to the Intel Core 2 Duo in MacBook Pros is the
Core i5s which Intel introduced this week at CES. Engadget caught a
video of Intel comparing their old tech to new tech. The first test was
a iTunes rip which was about twice as quick. The second encode shows
the advantage of virtual cores that the i5 have."

Intel Unveils 2010 Core Processor Family

PR:Intel Corporation
unveiled its new 2010 Intel Core family of processors at CES last week,
with variants for laptops, desktops, and embedded devices. The Core "i"
series CPUs reflect Intel's $7 billion investment announced early last
year in the midst of a major global economic recession.

The introduction of their Core i7, i5, and i3 chips coincides
with the arrival of Intel's new 32nm (nanometer) manufacturing process,
which for the first time in the company's history will be used to
immediately produce and deliver processors and features at a variety of
price points, and integrate high-definition graphics inside the
processor. [Editor's note: This is a point that could prove
problematical to Apple's quick adoption of these chips in its portable
models, all of which currently use Nvidia GeForce integrated graphics.
cm]

At CES, Intel unveiled more than 25 processors, wireless adapters
and chipsets, including new Intel Core i7, i5, and i3 processors, Intel
5 Series Chipsets, and Intel Centrino WiFi and WiMAX adapters that
include new Intel My WiFi features. More than 400 laptop and desktop PC
platform designs are expected from computer makers based on these
products, with another 200 expected for embedded devices.

As noted, the new 2010 Intel Core processors are manufactured on the
company's 32nm process, which includes Intel's second-generation high-k
metal gate transistors. This technique, along with other advances,
helps increase a computer's speed while decreasing energy
consumption.

"For the first time, there's a new family of Intel processors
with the industry's most advanced technology available immediately at
virtually every PC price point," says Sean Maloney, executive vice
president and general manager of the Intel Architecture Group. "These
smart processors adapt to an individual's needs, automatically
providing a 'boost' of performance for everyday applications. They
become energy efficient to the point of shutting down processing cores
or reducing power consumption to provide performance when people need
it, and energy efficient when they don't."

Based on Intel's award-winning "Nehalem" microarchitecture, these
new desktop, mobile and embedded processors deliver smart performance
for music, gaming, videos, movies, photos, social networking and other
demanding mainstream applications. In addition, ultra-thin laptops with
the new 2010 Intel Core processors inside can provide a balance of
performance, style and long battery life for sleek systems less than an
inch thick.

Supporting the all new 2010 Intel Core processors, the Intel 5
Series Chipset is the company's first single-chip chipset solution,
evolving from simply connecting components to providing a range of
platform innovation and capabilities. The Intel Core family also has
power-saving techniques like one Intel calls "hurry up and get idle" or
"HUGI," which enable processors to finish tasks quickly, while
preserving battery life.

Intel also expanded the performance-per-watt platform choices for
embedded by adding error correcting code memory for applications that
require a higher data integrity standard. The embedded processors,
together with Intel 5 Series chipsets, offer an extended, seven-year
life cycle that better matches how long these devices are in the
marketplace.

Glide Launches Mac-Compatible Browser OS

PR: Also introduced at
last week's Consumer Electronics Show was Glide's new operating system
for the Google Chrome browser, which is available for install now.

Glide
effectively transforms Google Chrome from a standard browser into an OS
with a rich application suite and 20 GB of free storage. You can set up
and administer up to six family member accounts including child
accounts from your Glide settings panel.

"Glide inserts an operating system and an unusually rich suite of
productivity and collaboration applications into the Google Chrome
browser," said TransMedia Chairman and CEO, Donald Leka. "Through your
Google Chrome browser you can now manage your files and information and
web content across devices with online and offline access. Just
download the Google Chrome browser and then install the Glide OS plugin
extension and you are good to go."

Cloud Computing: The Glide OS Approach Versus The Google
Approach

The Glide cloud computing solution is free of advertising and comes
with 20 GB of free storage.

Whereas Google's Chrome OS is hardware centric and will only
run on a limited number of devices with little or no distribution,
Glide runs on virtually any device and platform today.

While Glide runs on Linux and Android, it also runs on Windows, Mac,
Solaris, Blackberry, iPhone, Palm Pre, Symbian, and Windows Mobile.

Whereas
Google Chrome OS is "autocratic," requiring that you store your files
in their cloud, Glide allows you the option to work locally on your
desktop.

Glide makes it possible for users to work without latency by using
native apps on their local desktops and automatically synching data
when bandwidth is available.

Glide
transforms virtually any major browser into an OS, not just Google
Chrome. The Glide OS plugin extension is also available for Mozilla
Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

A Bootable Glide OS for Netbooks

Netbooks and other mid-sized devices have for the most part
failed to meet a clearly defined need for most consumers and business
users. Furthermore, while Glide believes that Linux is an important
part of the cloud computing future and supports Linux, Linux based
Netbooks for the most part have failed to gain significant market
share. Hundreds of such devices will emerge over the next few years.
Some will find specialized applications and others will gain short-term
traction. But the problem remains that while both the cell phone and
laptop have clearly defined uses, the notion of users carrying a third
device seems implausible. More likely, the mobile phone and the laptop
will continue to evolve to meet the needs that Netbooks and other
mid-sized devices seek to fill and mid-sized devices will find
important specialized niche markets.

In the first half of 2010, Glide will release a bootable version of
the Glide OS for Netbooks making it possible to launch the Glide OS at
startup. The Glide Netbook OS will provide a unified desktop, file
management system, a comprehensive suite of native versions of the
Glide Application Suite, offline access to your communication and
collaboration suite and data capture and sync technology to provide a
cost effective alternative to Windows for specialized niche markets
like healthcare and education.

Flash 9.0.124 or later support is required.

Editor's note: I can report that Glide OS 3 works in Firefox on my
G4 Power Mac with OS X 10.4. It does take some time to load, and I
haven't done any real work with it yet, but it does work. Since it's
free, you might want to experiment with it to see if it's something
you'll find useful. If you use a browser that blocks Flash, add
glidesociety.com to your exception list. dk

Linux Will Save the World, Not Apple

Linux Today's Carla Schroder
says:

"Remember Apple's famous
1984
commercial? That is one of the most brilliant TV commercials of all
time, which isn't surprising - Ridley Scott directed it, and legendary
advertising agency Chiat/Day produced it. It is a superb piece of
filmmaking that still gives me chills, even in the lo-fi YouTube
version.

"And then the spell wears off, and I realize Orwell was a prophet,
the commercial bears no relationship to the product, and the athlete's
Apple shirt should have a penguin logo on it instead of the Macintosh
logo...."

Mac mini a Server Surprise with Strong Sales
Start

"While Apple's new iMac got all of the desktop-related attention
when new hardware was announced in October, the new Mac mini and its debut Server
companion have found early success.

"Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis with market
research firm NPD Group, told AppleInsider that he was surprised by the
strong performance of the Mac mini. Previously, he said, the low-end
desktop had been 'dead in the water' in terms of sales."

Greener Electronics

Some Companies Really Do Make Greener
Electronics

PR: Greenpeace's electronics campaigners mission: To cut
through the greenwash and highlight product ranges on the market which
really are free of hazardous chemicals like PVC (vinyl) plastic and
brominated flame retardants (BFR).

CES is a major trade show where electronics
companies come to demonstrate new products and jostle for industry
media attention (which these days includes many technology blogs like
Engadget and Gizmodo). Though it is not open to the public, CES say
they expect over 140,000 attendees - that's a lot of consumer
electronics industry people in one place.

"In 2010, we should see significant developments, with products free
of PVC and BFRs in the PC and TV markets. Any company failing to
achieve this goal is taking a big gamble with its green reputation. On
a positive note, it's good to see non-ranked companies beyond the PC
and TV sectors, like Cisco, committing to eliminate these harmful
substances," says IIza Kruszewska, Greenpeace International toxics
campaigner.

Guide to Greener Electronics 14th Edition

Apple, Sony Ericsson, and Nokia lead the way for product ranges free
of the worst hazardous substances with HP following their lead. HP just
released the Compaq 8000f Elite business desktop, its first completely
PVC and BFR free product, at CES 2010.

Meanwhile Samsung, Dell, Lenovo and LG Electronics (LGE) pick up
penalty points in the Guide for failing to follow through on a promised
phase-out of toxics in their products.

Most of the companies in our ranking guide had pledged to remove
toxic PVC (vinyl) plastic and BFRs from their product range by the end
of 2009, which would have meant a greater show of greener, toxic-free
products for visitors to see at the CES. But, for now, it's a no show
for these companies, who have delayed their phase-out to 2011 or
beyond. No doubt they won't mention their backtracking to journalists
and bloggers they meet at CES.

What's all the concern about toxic chemicals and e-waste?

PVC contaminates humans and the environment throughout its
lifecycle; during its production, use, and disposal it is the single
most environmentally damaging of all plastics, and can form dioxin, a
known carcinogen, when burned. Some BFRs are highly resistant to
degradation in the environment and are able to build up in animals and
humans.

With the growth of electronic waste, workers who deal with e-waste
and the wider community are exposed to significant health risks.
Burning of e-waste to recover valuable resources, as routinely takes
place in the backyards of China, India and much of the global South,
can form dioxins. Eliminating the substances will decrease exposure and
increase the recyclability and reusability of electronic products.

Consumers want green, not greenwash

Electronics companies have been moving their "environmental
information" links higher and higher on product information webpages in
the four years since our first Guide to Green Electronics. Some of it
is only greenwash though, and informed consumers can tell the
difference.

Last year Apple cleared the final hurdle in eliminating toxic PVC
(vinyl) plastic, making it the first company to completely eliminate
hazardous BFRs and PVC in its computer systems. Pressure from thousands
of Apple lovers and advocates turned the company green in the time it
took to go from iMac G5 (2006) to iMac Aluminum (2009).

"It's time for a little less conversation and a lot more action on
removing toxic chemicals." That's what our electronics campaigner,
Casey Harrell, is saying at CES. Apple, Sony Ericsson and Nokia are
winning this game and HP is catching up, but the lack of action from
other companies is ensuring that customers and the environment are
still losing out.

Ban the toxic stuff for good

Several companies see their scores reduced in this edition of the
Guide with the bar being raised on hazardous substances. Having
endorsed the precautionary principle, companies now need to actively
support bans on PVC, BFRs and chlorinated flame retardants (CFRs)
during the revision of the European Union's Restriction of Hazardous
Substances in Electronics Directive.

"Companies need to support legislative bans to ensure a consistent
phase out of PVC and BFRs across all electronic products," said Iza
Kruszewska Greenpeace International toxics campaigner. "Sony Ericsson
and Apple are already calling on EU institutions to support such a ban.
Other big players like HP and Dell, who have remained silent so far,
and Acer need to ensure the ban is passed in the European Union
parliament."

Nokia leads the ranking, with a score of 7.3 out of 10. Sony
Ericsson follows closely, and is the only company to score full marks
on all the toxic chemicals criteria. In third place is Toshiba, but it
risks losing points if it fails to meet its commitment to market new
models of all its consumer electronics products that are free of PVC
and BFRs by 1 April 2010. Philips comes in fourth place, while Apple
rises from ninth place to fifth.

Nintendo continues to languish at the bottom of the ranking. Sony is
rewarded for its reported 17 percent reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions over the period 2000-2008, with renewable energy now
accounting for 8 percent of the total energy purchased globally each
year by the company, up from 2.5 percent a year ago. It also gains for
the reported use of 17,000 tons of recycled plastics annually in
various products, representing 10 percent of all plastics used in the
2008 financial year. Almost 90 percent of this recycled plastic was
post-consumer.

Samsung twitter petition

Samsung drops dramatically from second place to a tied seventh place
for failing to eliminate BFRs in all its products by January 2010. With
only its latest models of mobile phones free of toxic substances, it
has set January 2011 as the deadline for eliminating them from new
models of its notebooks and still has no definitive timeline for
removing them from its TVs and household appliances.

While Samsung's marketing people are touting their wares at CES,
we'll be calling them out on Twitter with this petition: petition
@Samsungtweets to follow Apple SonyEricsson and HP, and eliminate
harmful chemicals like PVC: http://act.ly/1l1 RT to sign #actly

Which Companies Really Sell Greener
Electronics?

PR: Apple is leading the way on eliminating toxic PVC and
BFRs from all it's new products with the new iMac and MacBook being the
first PC's completely free of PVC and BFRs

Greenpeace's ranking guide, published since 2006, shows clearly how
the 18 top consumer electronics companies line up. This new chart shows
which of those companies have eliminated the most harmful chemicals
from their product ranges.

Gold stars represent products free of the worst hazardous
substances. Smaller stars mean there are limited products free of worst
hazardous substances. A grey star means none of the products made by
this company in these product categories are free of worst hazardous
substances. And finally, a dash means that the company doesn't make
that kind of product.

See the notes below for more information about each company.

Notes

APPLE: Apple is leading the way on eliminating toxic PVC
and BFRs from all it's new products with the new iMac and MacBook being
the first PC's completely free of PVC and BFRs.

NOKIA: Almost all of Nokia's new models of mobile phones are free
of BFRs. Nokia's new models have been free of PVC since the end of
2005, and it is now aiming to have all new models free of all
brominated and chlorinated compounds and antimony trioxide from the
start of 2010.

SONY ERICSSON: Sony Ericsson has also already banned toxic
antimony, beryllium and phthalates from new models launched since
January 2008.

HP: HP is fast catching up with Apple lead in PVC and BFR phase out
and is well ahead of Dell and Lenovo.

ACER: Acer needs to expand this range in 2010 to all its
products.

TOSHIBA: Toshiba has some laptops, phones and TV's partly free of
PVC and/or BFRs but needs to match it's competitors products without
PVC and BFRs in these product categories. Toshiba has also committed to
introduce alternatives to phthalates, beryllium and antimony by 2012 in
all its products.

DELL: Dell has postponed phase out of PVC and BFRs till 2011, only
offering models with "reduced" amounts of PVC and BFRs.

LENOVO: Lenovo has postponed phase out of PVC and BFRs till 2011,
only offering models with "reduced" amounts of PVC and BFRs.

SAMSUNG: Samsung needs to remove PVC and BFRs across much more of
its product range.

LGE: Only LG mobile phones will be free of toxic PVC and BFRs from
2010; TVs, monitors and PCs have to wait until 2012 and household
appliance models until 2014. LGE has launched its first mobile phone
that is free from PVC and BFRs and has six models of halogen-free
Optical Disk Drives.

FUJITSU: Fujitsu has only some reduced PVC and BFRs models and is
behind competitors in removing these substances from PCs.

SONY: Sony has only some reduced PVC and BFRs models and is behind
competitors in removing these substances from PCs.

MOTOROLA: Well behind Nokia, Sony Ericsson in removing PVC and BFRs
from all its phones

PANASONIC: Panasonic has some products free of PVC or BFRs but not
in these product categories and has no commitment to remove these toxic
substances across its product range.

Tech Trends

How to Make Your PC More Like a Mac

Associated Content's Jared Spurbeck says:

"Some people like to make 'Hackintoshes,' where they load Mac OS X
Leopard (or Snow Leopard) on their PCs. Then they've got Spaces,
Exposé, the Finder, the Dock, and all the other things that make
a Mac a Mac inside their PCs. This is against the terms of Apple's
EULA, or End-User License Agreement, however, which says that you can
only install Mac OS X on a Mac, even if you bought and paid for a
copy.

"Fortunately, there is a legal way to make your PC into a Mac, or at
least a very Mac-like computer! What's more, it's free. Read on!"

The Desktop Isn't Dead, Say People Who Really Hope
the Desktop Isn't Dead

Gizmodo's John Herrman says:

"If you trust abstract concepts like 'trends' and 'evidence,' it's
clear that the desktop is heading for extinction. But wait! There may
be an upward spike in the PC's downward trajectory, according to
dutifully optimistic desktop chipmakers! They're probably
right...."

Products & Services

PR:Samsung Electronics
Co., Ltd. has announced the G Series, its new lineup of external
hard drives, designed under an eco-friendly green concept. The new G
series strengthen Samsung's external drive portfolio of 1.8", 2.5", and
3.5" drives, targeting the young adult market, which are looking for a
fashionably styled mobile drive but that is also reliable with high
density.

Samsung's new G-Series, introduced at the International Consumer
Electronics Show, consists of the 2.5" G2 Portable with 250/320/500/640
GB densities and the 3.5" G3 Station available in 1/1.5/2 TB
versions.

"The market for external hard disk drives is forecasted to grow in
leaps and bounds as consumers push for storage that is easy and safe to
carry around," said H.S. Lee, vice president, storage marketing,
Samsung Electronics. "Our G Series eco-friendly drives offer a
distinctive design in an assortment of trendy colors with high
densities, easy connectivity and a suite of data security
software."

The G-Series, the eco-friendly drives to be halogen-free, features
low-noise levels, low-power consumption and meets the ROHS regulation
for eco friendliness.

The smart power management of the G3 Station enables the drive to be
turned on and off by the host computer. The G3 Station reduces power
consumption by over 95 percent, from the conventional level of 2.5W to
0.09W and it will automatically enter Standby Mode after five minutes
of inactivity.

The new casing design, a multileveled glitter surface that reflects
the image of light on a beaded surface, protects the casing from fine
scratches. Four new colors inspired from the nature motif - olive
green, coral blue, silver white and cobalt black - have been adopted to
highlight the eco-friendly green design.

In addition, the new external drives utilize a USB 2.0 interface
with data transfer speeds of 480 megabit per second (Mbps). Key
features include Samsung Auto Backup for ongoing data preservation,
SecretZone™ software for personal data encryption and SafetyKey
for password protection.

The G2 Portable adopts a USB built-in board for a more compact
dimension. The G3 Station has adopted a lightweight design and the
2-terabyte version weighs 950g, approximately 20% less than a
conventional drive with comparable features.

The G Series drives will be available globally by mid-January 2010.
It features a three-year limited warranty and has an MSRP of US$199 for
the 2 TB G3 Station and the 640 GB G2 Portable, respectively.

PR:
SteelSeries has introduced the SteelSeries NP+ Mousepad. The new, large
surface was designed for gamers and mouse users who prefer a thick and
rough glide surface. The pressure compressed fibers allows for extreme
durability making it water and most-stain resistant.

"The SteelSeries NP+ was designed for those that prefer a rough
glide and large area surface. The water and stain resistant material
makes this surface, our most unique textile mousepad."

"We work with a number of professional gamers that have a wide
assortment of preferences when it comes to the surface they're playing
on or the level of glide and friction they prefer," said Bruce Hawver,
SteelSeries CEO. "The SteelSeries NP+ was designed for those that
prefer a rough glide and large area surface. The water and stain
resistant material makes this surface, our most unique textile
mousepad."

Unlike any other surface that SteelSeries offers, the SteelSeries
NP+ is specifically targeted for gamers that prefer a medium to rough
glide and higher level of mouse to surface friction. Regardless of
their preference, users can effectively operate an optical or laser
mouse on the 17.7" x 15.7" surface. Its non-slip rubber base provides a
firm grip and prevents the pad from sliding no matter what surface the
SteelSeries NP+ is placed on.

SteelSeries NP+ Mousepad will be available at leading online
retailers including Newegg.com with an MSRP of $24.99 beginning in
March 2010.

Software

MacTuneUp Creates Bootable Backups, Boost Internet
Performance, More

MacTuneUp is the perfect addition to your Mac tool kit. This
sophisticated, yet easy-to-use utility program makes operating your Mac
easier, safer and more fun. With MacTuneUp, you can easily prevent
system instability and speed up your Mac with a few simple steps.
MacTuneUp quickly discovers and fixes problems, restores hard disk
space, creates bootable disk backups, and maximizes Internet and
network connections to squeeze the best performance from your Mac.

With MacTuneUp, you can automatically run
daily, weekly and/or monthly system maintenance. The utility software
cleans system clutter to increase performance, securely removes
unwanted junk and personal files to recover lost space, and creates
bootable backups or disk images.

Let MacTuneUp quickly bring your Mac back to its original state.

Make your Mac as good as new...

Improve your system performance using MacTuneUp to easily maintain
and secure your activity. Quickly diagnose and repair problems before
they occur, securely remove unwanted junk and personal files to recover
lost space, increase the speed of your Internet network connections,
and create bootable backups or disk images to quickly bring your Mac
back to its original state.

Create bootable backups

Create a bootable backup of your hard disk that can be used to
create disk clones, move your running operating system from one disk to
another (for example, when replacing a hard disk), or to backup system
folders individually. You can also create a disk image of a system
volume that can be recovered using Apple Software Restore (ASR).

Internet Booster

Accelerate your Internet network connection with a
few simple clicks to boost the performance of your email, FTP, Internet
browsing, chats, and other online activity.

Mac Maintenance

Your Mac is a computer powerhouse. Keep it running like new with an
easy Maintenance Pilot that runs periodic tasks, repairs permissions
and optimizes your system.

Enhanced Firewall

Add an extra layer of protection to your Mac by configuring your Mac
firewall or adding a custom firewall with your own set of rules to keep
harmful files off your system.

Control System Settings

Customize your Mac experience by easily managing all system settings
from within MacTuneUp.

Quick Info

Become more familiar with your Mac by quickly finding information
about your system and shortcuts.

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Welcome Image and Text

We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.